During the ongoing pandemic, Australia has seen the greatest surge in pet ownership—with 10 percent more people seeking furry companionship in a time of significant uncertainty and reduced social interaction in the past two years.
A recent study by Animal Medicines Australia found it was “the biggest boom Australia has seen” with the number of Australians owning pets increasing to nearly 70 percent of households.
Dogs have led the way, increasing from 40 percent in 2019 to 47 percent in 2021, meaning nearly half of all households now have at least one dog.
Meanwhile, cats are now found in 30 percent of Australian households, with a quarter of all cats obtained during the pandemic.
Beyond this, there have also been increases in Australians owning pet fish (13 percent up from 11 percent) and birds (14 percent up from 9 percent).
One of the strongest reasons attributed to the increase in the share of households obtaining pets was since the onset of the pandemic remote working had become acceptable with many office workers working from home.
Animal Medicines Australia’s 2019 survey found that unsuitable living arrangements were the greatest barrier for non-owners interested in a dog or cat.
However, there has been a downside, with significant pandemic restrictions leading to difficulties in accessing animal care, with one in five pet owners saying they haven’t visited the vet in the last two years.
But as restrictions begin lifting around Australia, The Dog Lovers Show, one of the world’s largest festivals dedicated to educating, entertaining, and inspiring dog lovers, is here to help fill the information gap.
“Anyone who loves dogs deeply and wants to better understand their pets will be rewarded by attending our shows this August and October when Australia’s largest fur-focussed festival makes a triumphant return,” show founder and CEO Jason Humphris said in a release.
Returning after a three-year break, he said that “the timing is ideal to provide thousands of ‘pandemic pet parents’ with trusted, reliable information from the country’s pet experts.”
“Many new dog owners had been thinking of welcoming a new pup and the pandemic gave them the time to be actively present at home to ‘on-board’ the pooch they have dreamed of for so long,” Humphris said.
The interactive event will allow visitors to meet and interact with around 1,000 dogs of over one hundred breeds, as well as give advice on training, nutrition, separation anxiety, puppy-proofing, and canine mental health and wellbeing to new owners.
Animal Medicines Australia’s report also showed that in the past year, owners spent thousands on their pets, with around $3,200 spent per dog and $2,100 per cat.
